London, Feb 4 (IANS): Actress Lily James loved the experience of portraying Cinderella in the live action version of the Disney film, but now wants to shed that image.

In an interview to Harper's Bazaar UK issue, the actress said that she wants to shed the image of herself as a 'blonde, sweet thing', because it is 'so not her', reports dailymail.co.uk.

She admitted that she is "actively seeking" different characters as she looks forward to turning 30 in April.

James said: "Cinderella was a gift, and I will treasure it for the rest of my life. But I wore a dress for the 'Mamma Mia!' premiere that was blue and white, and when I got out on the red carpet, all anyone said was 'Oh it's Cinderella!'

"It's a happy association, but also something that you want to shed at some point… The blonde, sweet thing is so not me. I'm actively seeking characters from now on that are different, who don't rely on charm or the qualities that I think I've explored quite a lot."

The actress has enchanted viewers with her performances in "Cinderella", "Downton Abbey", "Baby Driver" and "Mamma Mia!".

James, who is in a relationship with Matt Smith since 2014, also opened up about turning 30 later this year.

She said: "It is a real turning point. My twenties have been so chaotic, and I've always looked forward to 30 as being an anchor point. You stop caring so much about what other people think, and become more secure in your own life."